The firearms section in the Armoury includes a fine collection of British, Italian, French and Spanish flintlock pistols. There are also some French-style flintlock pistols that were made specifically for the Eastern markets, particularly Turkey. The flintlock was developed in France in the early 17th century, and by the second half of that century, it had slowly spread throughout Europe. The simplicity of the mechanism, which incorporated the striking surface and flashpan in one piece, meant that more creative designs could be produced, such as miniature pistols. These were at times also referred to as travelling pistols.